27 April – Beatrice Iacono

Beatrice Iacono

Beatrice Iacono will speak about the important and long lasting contribution made to the Italian and Australian community by her father and mother, Angelo and Carmela Mezzapica. Through their humble beginnings and much long and hard work as migrants in the early fifties, they established Mezzapica Continental Cakes at 130 Norton Street Leichhardt. This was the first Italian Cake shop in Sydney and Mezzapica Cakes continues even today to be an institution within a truly multicultural community. Angelo and Carmela Mezzapica deserve to be acknowledged and remembered for their important role in the social and historical development of Sydney and Australia.

Beatrice was born in Canneto Lipari, in the Aeolian Islands Sicily. At the age of three she migrated to Australia with her parents. After completing her schooling at Santa Sabina College she graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours in Italian and a Diploma of Education. Beatrice has worked as a Languages Teacher and Education Officer in the NSW Department of Education throughout her career spanning forty years.

Beatrice attributes her interest in languages directly to the times when at a very early age, still in Primary School, she was often required to act as interpreter for her parents and other relatives who were newly arrived in Australia.

The heritage left by Angelo and Carmela Mezzapica, of adhering to the principles of hard work and commitment continues to influence the daily lives of Beatrice, her brother, Mark Mezzapica and their respective families.